Ketamine (1 mg . kg-1) or thiopentone (4 mg . kg-1) was used to induce anaesthesia for Caesarean section in 62 normotensive patients. During induction of anaesthesia and before laryngoscopy, blood pressure did not change in either group (preinduction systolic blood pressure, 131 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure, 75 mmHg). When laryngoscopy and intubation were performed, mean blood pressures of both patient groups increased 20-30 per cent. With ketamine (n = 30) heart rate was unchanged from the preinduction rate of 85 beats/min before laryngoscopy and increased significantly by 15 per cent during laryngoscopy and intubation. With thiopentone (n = 32), heart rate increased significantly to 20 per cent above the preinduction rate of 87 beats/min during induction and increased further (to 35 per cent above the preinduction rate) during laryngoscopy and intubation. The average maximal rate-pressure product calculated for the thiopentone group was over 18,000, which was significantly higher than the 15,000 calculated for the ketamine group. Neonatal outcome as assessed by Apgar score and umbilical blood gas analysis was good and did not differ significantly between groups.